Track of the week 30/4/17
Didn’t have an obvious track of the week for this week, but listened to this the other day and it was first up when I opened YouTube this evening – a good enough reason to secure its spot as totw.
Cup Finals
I was looking forward to running the Glastonbury 10K that took place today and a few weeks ago I entered the event.
But on Monday I received an email appointing me to referee a Cup Final, an honour in recognition of my service (& good refereeing, I hope!) in the Yeovil and District Youth League.
So today I found myself in the middle, with two neutral assistants, taking charge of the U14 Division 2 Knock Out Cup, between Ash and Castle Cary. It was an enjoyable experience, albeit (or because) it was an easy match to ref. Ash were clearly the stronger side, going 4 up, although Castle Cary rallied towards the end and brought it back to 4 -2 before the end.
On Thursday, I ran the line for our U14s in the Somerset Schools County Cup – for these games a neutral ref is appointed, but schools must supply their own lino, so I swiftly volunteered and enjoyed a day out of school, running the line at Bridgwater FC. Although the score was also 4-2 (to Millfield v Beechen Cliff) it was certainly not a one sided affair – either side could have won, BC spurning a great opportunity to peg it bag to 3-3 with 3 mins to go.
In the first half I ruled out a Beechen goal as off-side, which if it had stood would have put them 2-1 up. Very happy with the decision, although I am still waiting for the video to be uploaded so that I can confirm I was right.
You don’t get paid for finals, instead getting a memento – the two pictured above. Perhaps I’ll need to build a trophy cabinet …
Yoga
Pic of the week 30/4/17
I feel fitter at the moment than I have done for 20+ years.
I run, spin, ref and swim, all activities that burn off the calories and provide a good aerobic workout.
But I’m not as supple as I could be, and the limiting factor in my exercise regime tends to be my aching limbs. I never really stretch properly – before exercise I just want to get going, after exercise I just want to stop. A few lunges to stretch out the calf muscles and hamstrings probably isn’t enough.
And so I enrolled in a yoga class. Its at school on a Wednesday evening – Becky has been going since September and has enjoyed it and as I don’t (yet!) have a games commitment on a Wednesday afternoon this term I figured I could spare an hour to join the class.
I’m hoping to strengthen my core and stretch my muscles, becoming a bit more bendy. I need to remember that this session is meant to be calm and relaxing and a supplement to my hi-intensity aerobic sessions. After the first week the jury is still out – but now I have a better idea of what’s going on, I hope future sessions will be more beneficial.
Danny Says – Foo Fighters
Track of the week 23/4/17
I enjoy my spinning classes on a Friday night. I look forward to it during the day, enjoy the exercise, a great stress buster to end the week.
One of the treats of being on holiday is to be able to do an extra spinning class on a Tuesday lunchtime. These sessions have a different feel to the Friday lessons which seem to be more about hills and strength, and grinding out the miles. Tuesdays see greater variety and a greater emphasis of core muscle groups. And a different play list.
I’ve heard – and enjoyed – this track on the Tuesday spinning sessions this holiday. Took me a while to work out what the song actually was, but by the power of YouTube I discovered it was Danny Says by the Foo Fighters.
So that was the Easter Hols
Pic(s) of the week 23/4/17
So today sees the end of the Easter hols.
Its been a great few weeks, with fantastic weather – it may have rained one day in the first week (but I’m not sure) but other than that its been as dry as a bone and unseasonably warm and sunny – perfect for enjoying the garden.
And I have enjoyed the garden – building the new deck where the summer house was last year and doing some planting – a couple of hydrangeas in front of the deck, strawberries, raspberry canes (although most don’t seem to be showing any signs of life), courgettes, aubergines and squash (I think the cucumber fell victim to slugs last night) hostas … all is starting to look good, although temperatures are set to plummet next week – hope everything survives.
The end of dots of spots, the end of an era. Quite a bit of time was spent over at the unit, moving and clearing stuff and stock. Thursday was a bit of a manic day, but at last the shelves are empty. Still a few lose ends to tie up, but the business is now closed. Very proud of Becky and what she achieved over those 8+ years, and equally proud of the sensible and pragmatic way that she decided “enough was enough” and it was time to shut up shop.
The Mini! Swapped the big Nissan Almera Tino for a less practical convertible mini, but my, it looks good! who needs a big family car? Not us any more.
Exercise: Have kept myself fit – have done 5 games (4 middles, 1 line) including a cup semi final today, ran 39.5Km in 5 runs, spun 5 times (burning off 2,925 calories), but only swum once, a measly 30 lengths (1Km).
(Reasonably) looking forward to the start of term tomorrow – 5 weeks, then 4 weeks doesn’t seem too daunting, no football to organise week in, week out and nearly all of my classes working towards GCSE, AS or A Level exams – easy street ’till the long Summer holidays!
The First Picture of You – Lotus Eaters
Track of the week 16/4/17
I had to check that I hadn’t posted this as TotW before and was surprised to discover that I hadn’t.
Rediscovered and fell in love with this song last summer and played it constantly – ticking all the boxes as to why I created track of the week, to remember those songs that have been buzzing around my head for a period of time.
Not sure I really remember it from the first time round – it would have been a bit too sophisticated for me in ’83, but now a few(!) years older with more refined tastes I recognise it for the beautiful bit of music that it is. On a sunny summer’s day its perfect – here’s hoping we have more than our fair share of those this year.
See the flowers scream their joy
Mini!
Pic of the week 16/4/17
The silver Nissan Almera Tino is on its last legs – back in early Feb (?) I noticed that the fuel filler neck had completely rusted away and was now no longer connected to the fuel cap.
A bit of googling and a look under the vehicle suggested that it would be a relatively easy diy fix: jack the car up, undo a couple of jubilee clips connecting the filler neck to the tank, remove the neck pipe and do the reverse to fit the new item. Easy.
But the problem has been trying to get a new part – thought I’d found one in Germany, but no, and a few scrap dealers said they’d get me one, but never did, and so its the death knell for the Tino. Other things have “been going” too: the stereo has failed, and their is excessive play in the hand brake – I think one or two wheels are not breaking properly (I wonder whether a brake pipe has ruptured?)
Anyway, with its MOT due in a couple of weeks, I’ve made the decision that it is not economically sensible to keep it going. So I’m scraping it, and looking forward to receiving the princely sum of £45 for its scrap value!
I had spotted a 2007 Renault Clio, with 12 months MOT, for £995, but Becky had set her mind on a Mini. I’d been looking around for a few days when I checked into eBay to see this little baby on sale down the road at Compton Dundon for £1,600.
Long story short, we looked at it, liked it, bought it. Has an MOT ’till September (will do it in August). Does look good, ride is a little on the firm side, but a fun vehicle – Becky likes it! If it does three years, it’ll have paid its way – must remember to check back in April 2020 and report back!
Four in four
A busy four days for me and my kit that has seen me officiate every day from Saturday through to Tuesday, 3 middles and 1 line:
- Sat 8th April Yeovil & District League Open Age Manor v Oddcombe 4-0
- Sun 9th April Yeovil & District Youth League U16 Wessex v Aller Park 5-0
- Mon 10th April Somerset Floodlight League U18 Glastonbury v Elmore 3-9 Assistant Ref
- Tue 11th April Yeovil & District League Open Age Pen Mill Athletic v Stoke 2-1
Enjoyed them all, I was a late replacement for Saturday’s game (my original game having been postponed earlier in the week) I’d been to my Friday night spinning class and gone for a run on Saturday morning – my legs were feeling heavy when I got a text asking me to do the game as the “original” ref had had to go to hospital.
A good game to ease back into the OA arena, Oddcombe have lost all games this season, and didn’t upset the form book, despite playing the team only one place above them – one place in the league, a huge chasm in ability. I take my hat off to Oddcombe, many players and teams would have packed it in long before now, but 20 games in, 20 defeats and a goal difference of -92, they are still turning out each week. An easy game to manage and referee on a beautifully warm afternoon.
Sunday morning saw me at Glastonbury FC to referee Wessex Youth in their final home game of the season, which they won comfortably. With one game left to play, their destiny is in their hands – win it and they win the league, lose, and their opponents of the day will be crowned champions. I took it as a compliment when the home team manger expressed disappointment that I shan’t be officiating that game (we refs, at this level, are pretty regional – hence I do a lot of Wessex games as they are so local to me, I’m unlikely to be appointed to their final game in distant Sherborne!) Another really enjoyable game – the standard of football at U15 & U16 in the Youth League far exceeds that in the Open Age (men’s) league – the boys tend to pass and play, the men hoof and hope.
Monday evening at it was back to Glastonbury to run the line in a Somerset Floodlight U18 league game. I really do enjoy working as a team of 3, it not only helps with the officiating, but it is that – working as a team – that makes it so much better, a much less lonely experience!
I don’t do it for the money, but it did make me realise that Monday night’s endeavours were below the minimum wage! As a lino, you get £15 + mileage (ref get’s 22 + mileage) – ref asked us (quite rightly) to arrive at 6.30 for a 7.30 kick off so we could do pitch inspections warm ups, player checks, briefings etc. Add in 90 mins of football and (not allowing for a slightly delayed kick off, added time, half time) that works out at £6 an hour. It is expenses, not wages, but an example worth keeping should HMRC ever try to suggest that we are being paid to officiate. (Plus we did get a nice plate of sausage & chips in the bar after the game!)
Tuesday evening and it was back to Yeovil for a 2nd division encounter in the Yeovil & District League, on a pitch that a few weeks ago was a bog but has since baked rock hard following the recent weeks of hot, dry weather. The corners where fine – full of lush, long grass, but the centre circle and both penalty areas were devoid of greenery and solid as cement. Had it been winter and this hard due to freezing, we wouldn’t have played, but for some reason its OK to do so in the summer (someone did give me a very good and convincing explanation as to why, but sadly I’ve forgotten their logic.)
For some time I thought it might turn out to be that elusive beast – a nil nil draw but shortly before half time, probably against the run of play, the visitors took the lead. Ten minutes into the second half the home side squared it and suddenly it became “interesting” (read: competitive, read a little feisty, read: tougher to ref) but I think I kept a good handle on the game, managed it well. With a number of vocal supporters & players, it could have become another Keinton v Braddford, but I’ve learnt, I was consistent (although reds may disagree!), I did my best and my best was good enough. I don’t know if it was despite the more challenging nature of the game, or because of it, that I enjoyed it more than Saturday’s one sided encounter.
And this time, rather than be riled by inane comments from the sideline I ignored them, or smirked inwardly at their foolishness. Hanging on to their 2-1 lead, whites were constantly asking “how long ref”, to which I would reply with the number of minutes to go. “Where’s he getting that time from?” howled a harridan from the side lines every time.
One felt like going over and explaining one’s detailed time keeping arrangements: like all refs, I’m a little paranoid about time so I wear two watches, and my fitbit, which also tells the time. I note the time we kick off, and add 45 mins so I know, if both my stopwatches fail, I’ll still know when to end the game. Then, on one watch, I have a countdown timer for 45 mins – this I don’t touch and so I know when the half is finished, and I can guess any extra time needed if my other stopwatch – which is counting up from zero, and I stop for stoppages – fails. So I had three ways to work out the time, all of which were giving me the same answer – that’s where I was getting the time from.
Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned the perils of the Archery club holding their Tuesday evening practice behind one of the goals. The joys of grass roots football … you couldn’t make it up!
Tell me when my light turns green – Dexys Midnight Runners
Track of the week 9/4/17
So last week’s TotW was Geno by Dexys Midnight Runners because my bro gave me the album “Searching for the young soul rebels” for my birthday, and a great track it is too.
I’ve been listening to the album a lot and this track – “Tell me when my lights turn green” is a new favourite – an absolute killer track. I love the brass instrumental breaks, the upbeat, uplifting feel of the whole track. It must be good – its made it on to my iPod library!
Play it, enjoy it.
Heatwave!
Pic of the week 9/4/17
And what a week it has been! The temperature has soared, enticing me back out into the garden, which has been a bit neglected since early Autumn.
With some of my birthday Amazon vouchers I bought myself some 4 in 1 lawn care treatment and applied that to the green mossy area that has been masquerading as a lawn. Its blackening up nicely – that’s what is supposed to happen – ready for me to rake out all the dead thatch in a week or so’s time, allowing all the lovely green grass to grow through, thick and lush. In the (nearly) two years that we have been here I have been (pleasantly) surprised as to how infrequently I have had to mow the lawn – I think that that, though, is a symptom that it is not as healthy as it should be. One of my goals for this summer is to try and coax it back it full health – you can’t beat the backdrop of a verdant, vibrant vigorous sward.
I also bought myself a weed lance and I’ve enjoyed this bit of kit – basically a flamethrower used to burn weeds in the gravel and paving. The front garden, in particular, was getting more than its fair share of unwanted growth and the prospect of hand weeding this did not fill me with joy. But using this gadget does – fire it up, listen to the roar and wave it over the weeds, which then,over a day or so, blacken and die.
I also planted a rhubarb and have ordered some raspberries – a summer fruiting variety and an autumn fruiting one – to be planted. Its so much easier to get motivated when the sun is shining and the weather warm.
And I’v started – and nearly finished – a new deck where the summer house was (that I took down last year.) The job has been made infinitely easier as I bought some adjustable plastic “feet” onto which to mount the joists. Probably ended up spending £100 on these when i could have spent £50 on blocks, sand & cement, but it has been so much easier. Nearly built the whole deck in a day. The decking planks I bought from eBay (less2build) as 4.8m lengths, so no cutting needed, just lay them straight onto the joists. Its turning out to be the easiest deck I’ve ever built. (Would have finished it on Saturday, but for a late call up to referee a match as the original appointee had to go to hospital.) Should get it finished in the next couple of days (although I’ve then got to build the planter that will border it). Here’s a pic of me in action:
